Housing renovations and energy efficiency: insights from homeowners’ practices

TLDR

Renovation and retrofit are key policy tools for reducing energy use and emissions in existing homes, yet current approaches rely on assumptions about homeowner attitudes and technical models and neglect social dimensions, creating uncertainty about their effectiveness. The study investigates how low‑energy and environmental concerns shape renovations when viewed as social practices, using ethnographic case studies. The authors apply a practice‑theory framework to analyze how renovations intersect with homeowners’ everyday practices. The analysis shows a gap between policy intentions and everyday life, finds that retrofit practices are mediated by daily routines, and argues that technical‑focused policies will have limited impact unless reframed to address mundane practices.

Abstract

Renovation/retrofit is a key policy measure to reduce energy and emissions in existing residential stock. Existing approaches are typically based on assumptions about individual attitudes and technical–rational models, reliant on regulations and incentive programmes to influence homeowner ‘behaviour’. However, insufficient evaluation, together with inadequate attention given to the social dimensions of renovation, result in considerable uncertainty over the effectiveness of such policies. Drawing on ethnographic case studies informed by theories of social practice, this paper examines to what extent low energy and other environmental concerns come into play in renovations when they are conceptualized as social practices. A practice theory approach is adopted to analyze the intersection of renovations with homeowners’ practices. The analysis highlights the disparity between policy intentions for energy efficiency and everyday life. Findings reveal retrofit practices are mediated by the performance of practices comprising daily routines, both current and those anticipated in the future. Current policies and programmes focused on technical interventions to improve energy efficiency will have limited reach and impact. Instead, it is suggested, among other interventions, that policies to reduce the environmental impact of housing should be reframed around and positioned to address the mundane practices of everyday life.